Life is Good

6 May 2004; PSA at 32.3; mets at L2 & T3.

6 May 2021; PSA continues at <0.1; T at 455.

Life is good. I am blessed. Thanks to our Creator and Dr. Robert Amato.

Gourd Dancer

[Shooter1]

Agree, as I have often posted "life is good".

[Hidden]

Were there any others in your chemo trial that have done as well as you have or even close to it?

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I don’t really know. At one point there were 9 with complete responses. I know some but HIPPA enters into the equation. BTw, I noticed this week that at the Baylor College of Medicine (Dan Duncan funded PCa research) instead of writing there was “no” cure for metastatic prostate cancer like everybody else, they used the term “rarely” cured. Thinking that I am in their numbers........ maybe wishful thinking, but that was where I met Dr A.

[Cmdrdata in reply to Hidden]

I am one of those “nine” and still kicking. I saw Dr. A in 2010 when my PSA started to rise to 15 after primary SBRT. He found L3 met and immediately put me in a 5-cycles of 8 weeks each chemo cocktail ( docetaxel, ketoconazole, doxorubicin, adriamycin, Zometa, and prednisone). My L3 met went away after the first cycle, and PSA was manageable for several years until it began to rise again (doubling) in late 2007. He prescribe Zytiga just before his death and I’ve been in “remission” to now. He was about to do research for apalutamide, but that never got off the ground when he died.

[Hidden in reply to Cmdrdata]

Did you know that BCM is using his protocol for metastatic breast cancer. Dr A told me that the two cancer were related more than most know.... both hormone driven.... Kristi and I talked about this yesterday.

[monte1111]

17 years? That is a big wow! Be careful dancing around j-o-h-n's gourd.

[j-o-h-n in reply to monte1111]

Thanks for looking out for my gourd....It's a heirloom...

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Thursday 05/13/2021 9:02 PM DST

[monte1111 in reply to j-o-h-n]

I've got a lot of heirloom tomatoes.

[j-o-h-n in reply to monte1111]

Canned?

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Thursday 05/13/2021 10:44 PM DST

[monte1111 in reply to j-o-h-n]

Stewed.

[j-o-h-n in reply to monte1111]

Frozen?

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Friday 05/14/2021 4:37 PM DST

[monte1111 in reply to j-o-h-n]

Those would hurt. I prefer organic.

[j-o-h-n in reply to monte1111]

I prefer orgasms (with or without veggies).....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Friday 05/14/2021 5:00 PM DST

[monte1111 in reply to j-o-h-n]

No orgasms here. I prefer In-n-Out Burgers. There aren't any in NYC. I'll mail you one.

[j-o-h-n in reply to monte1111]

Thanks, just make sure it's on a waterproof roll.....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Friday 05/14/2021 7:17 PM DST

[Hidden in reply to monte1111]

Extra cucumber and slather on the mayonnaise for j-o-h-n.

[monte1111 in reply to Hidden]

I'm still struggling with waterproof roll. Must be something you get at Walmart.

[Hidden in reply to monte1111]

Dollar General...look for best by Dec 2020

[monte1111 in reply to Hidden]

I probably have something in the pantry. Even the cats won't go in there.

[Hidden]

Yes Nal. I was in the TMC this morning..... I go quarterly (my choice). One of Dr A’s legacy is the Memorial Hermann Cancer Center affiliated with the McGovern Medical School. When I met him he was at Methodist and Baylor College of Medicine. They divorced and Cornell Weill picked up the pieces, but Dr A moved over the MH and McGovern.

GD

[MyKis]

Wow ! Thats great news ! What was your gleason score ? I was diagnosed in 2016, Psa was 11 , Gleason 9, mets to skull and T3 , currently , psa is undetectable , hv been on Zoladex, Zytiga and Prednisone for 1 1/2 yrs

[Hidden in reply to MyKis]

Gleason 7(4+3). Cardiologist ran a PSA after a double bypass for an aneurysm. In Dec 2002. Result 6.8. I knew I was screwed. Urologist confirmed PCa in March 2003 via biopsy. He wanted to schedule surgery. I put the brakes on and researched. Opted for Brachytherapy and a short course of IMRT. PSA never really came down. Did monthly PSA’s from August 2003 with the two ROs. In April 2004, PSA doubled. May 5th, my 4th if 5th set of scans, I got the bad news. Took my first shot of Lupron and SOC was explained to me.......

I only had two questions for each: Doc, if you were in my shoes newly DXd with Advanced PCa, what would you do? Both gave the same answer. Find the best MO available on top of their game..... look toward research and academia. Follow up question, do you know one? 2nd RO who was in research and academia said that he sat on a committee with one. Didn’t know if he could get me in, but he would call.

When I got home two hours late, the phone was ringing. Doctor A wanted to see me the next day. Do I need to send over scans? No, he has already seen them. Met with Dr A for just under 2 1/2 hours and enrolled in his clinical trial. Scheduled a port insertion and started on July 5th, 2004.

Everything aligned and I have been most fortunate. Key, in my opinion, was jumping on treatment immediately after met detection. I learned a new term, micro-metastasis. Dr A told me that to not second guess my primary treatment, in December 2002, unseen cancer cells had already escaped the prostate capsule and were traveling in my vascular and lymphatic systems.

Why is it so important to have, annual PSAs from age 40 and twice a year PSAs after 50. I was 55 when originally DXd. I don’t care what any task force of non prostate cancer and public health people say, they are plain wrong. Witness the number of men who have not had PSAs and find out when they are DXd with metastatic prostate cancer. Screw governmental committees. It’s not their body! My son once had a doctor who refused to give him annual PSAs...... he found a new doctor who would.

Look, I may sound radical in my beliefs, but that is me. We adults all have choices to make. I simply rely on competent medical trust with common sense. I wish all the best with this terrible disease.

Last point. Both breast cancer and prostate cancers are common in that they are hormonal based. Why is early screening for women important and less so for men? My opinion, women yell louder. It’s why the research dollars keep on flowing.......

Gourd Dancer

[MyKis in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for detailed reply ! Gives me encouragement to continue the fight !

[JWPMP in reply to Hidden]

Amen!!! We never heard of PSA until my husband changed doctors and went in for gout medication. Dr ordered standard bloodwork and included PSA.He himself had prostate cancer in the past. Anyway we get a call to come in Jim's PSA was 53.5. We were like what is that what does it mean. No previous doctor ever even mentioned it. I looked through all his old bloodwork results and found a blank PSA line...

We also have found out how many people we know that have dealt with it and NEVER mentioned it...women on the other hand will tell their friends to get annual checkups. I told my best friend to have her husband tested (they never heard of it either) and if the doctor says not necessary Change Doctors!!!

[TLCAM12 in reply to MyKis]

I have the same numbers as you....What treatment did you do ?

[MyKis in reply to TLCAM12]

Hello TLCAM12Upon diagnosis in 2015, had a prostatectomy that year , and because of a suspected pos’ve margin, had 18wks of radiation to prostate bed, after that , PSA still was rising (to 11) so started zoladex (10.8 mg/3 mths) PSA was undetectable for 12 mths but started to rise again, went for PSMA and found two mets, one on skull and other on T3 vertebrae, Doc decided against radiation to mets as too risky so went on Zytiga / prednisone and still on zoladex shots. PSA is still undetectable 🤞

[Bodysculpture]

Gourd-dancer Great Post to start my day

May the blessing be continual

[Haniff]

Good number of years 👌

Well done

[grahaminator63]

Love the positivity! 17 years is a good number. Keep on fighting!

[Pianodude]

I am happy that you are doing so well!

[Cmdrdata]

The Lord through Dr. Amato have healed you from this disease. Continue to enjoy your life and do His work/will for everyday that you are still alive. He’s not done with you yet.

[Hidden in reply to Cmdrdata]

Amen, J.

[skateguy]

That is encouraging. Thanks for the post.

[dockam]

Yay - Happy Cancerversary - 17 years - so f'in awesome!!!!!I can only hope to have that kind of longevity

[E2-Guy]

Mike, Do you happen to know Dr. Joshua Fine at Baylor in Dallas?

[Hidden in reply to E2-Guy]

Ron, no I don’t. However, I am very high on the research coming out of Baylor College of Medicine in the Texas Medical Center, Houston. Nice to have the large number of medical schools affiliated with the large number of hospitals based in the TMC.

[Hidden]

🙏

[erjlg3]

So happy 😊 for you 🙂🙏

[j-o-h-n]

Good News..... keep up the good fight....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Thursday 05/13/2021 9:05 PM DST

[Hidden]

Thanks for the positive energy- 🙏 for my love to be with me for that long. I brake for miracles ❤️🦋

[Stickingaround1]

Congratulations gourd on your incredible journey. You inspire all of us and help us realize that there is a lot of life after dx.